forget FSX, but full sliders in FS9??

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I was thinking of a systems upgrade in about 6 months to handle a possible change to FSX. But that got me thinking, with FS9 and my current setup I got my FS9 most sliders at about midway with the usual selections of addons.Today got me thinking as I was flying the PMDG 737 and only getting around 9 - 12 fps in the seattle area (vc, no autogen, usaraods, genesis mesh, fsstart, asv, ect...) maybe I should updgrade for FS9 only?Question: is anyone here really running FS9 with high quality addons with the sliders full and getting about 20 fps min or is full sliders even with this 3 year old software also a pipedream?just curiousps, some system info:amd athlon64 3200+ 2280mhz ms-7030 nforce3 250 chipset mobo phx bios agp3.01 gig ddr ramNvidia Geforce 6800 gs/xt 256megcpu and gpu slight overclock about 5-8%

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Mike,I have just upgraded my machine specifically for FSX to the spec shown below, and can confirm that ALL my sliders are now maxed out in FS9 using various freeware and payware scenery, texture and aircraft. The results are excellent, I can now run FS9 as it should be run with excellent frame rates and no stutters and the visuals are superb. I have now got AI aircraft up to 100% using UT and still no problems.Although I get good frame rates in FSX, I just dont like the default scenery textures and will wait for some good addons to appear before I start to really use the new sim. For the time being, I shall be sticking with FS9 until I can afford the mountain of cash required to upgrade FSX to even LOOK like FS9 as I have got it at the moment.Hope this helpscheersKeithASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe MoboAMD Athlon 4200+250Gb SATA driveASUS EN7600GT 256Mb Graphics CardCorsair 2Gb TwinX matched pair DDR2 memory

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I have a good friend that reports nearly 50 fps with the PMDG B744 on a fairly cutting-edge Core 2 Duo-based machine. I've been researching the same idea...FS9 on the best hardware available now, and believe that it is in fact true that the hardware needed to really run FS9 to its potential is only now arriving...right alongside the problematic FSX platform that is intended to replace it.Although FS9 can't take full advantage of all the new developments (i.e. DX10 or multi-CPU support) it seems clear that the new Intel CPU architecture, increased memory bandwidth, GPUs etc are now powerful enough to really make FS9 sing...even if only by sheer brute force.I'm in the process of building a powerful new PC with this purpose in mind. Compared to my current 3.0 GHz Pentium 4, 1GB RDRAM and 256MB nVidia 6800, a new system based on an overclocked Intel Core 2 Extreme at ~3.5 GHz, 2 GB of 1066 MHz DDR2 RAM, and a 768 MB 8800GTX GPU is a massive increase in raw power, including a nearly threefold increase in CPU power for the CPU-strapped application that FS9 is known to be.I have to believe that an add-on, like the Eaglesoft Cirrus which struggles to keep its head above water at 18fps on the current system, will really be something to behold at 30 fps and room to spare. All indications are that it's easily possible with the old software running on top of the new technology that's now upon us.There's a giant body of knowledge on Win XP, FS9, and the ton of add-ons made to improve the entire environment. For me the focus has been on squeezing every last bit of performance out of FS9 while keeping a baseline hardware platform for nearly 4 years, with a mid-life video upgrade really the only major upgrade along the way. Tailoring a new install of FS9 on a powerful new system, but this time armed with the benefits of 4+ years of insight gained along the way, seems like the best short-to-mid term course to sim Nirvana.I'll be posting the results here on the hardware forum as my great experiment gets underway.CheersBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

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I built my new PC this summer (see sig for specs). I built this specifically for FS9, knowing that I was not planning on touching FSX for some time. I still am not ready to max out all the sliders yet. At least where I can get acceptable performance (to me). I'm sure I might be able to squeak out 10-15 fps with the sliders at max, but to me that isn't smooth flying. I personally expect 25+ fps for a smooth sim experience, and that is with traffic, scenery addons, complex aircraft, etc. The sliders that I still can't turn up are things like cloud distance. I run 100% thickness clouds (for the RXP weather radar) and anything close to max will really hurt performance. I can also still only run traffic at about 70% or so. Going to 100% kills my performance at any large airports. While I understand that new versions of video games are going to push the envelope of PC performance, I feel that MSFS is going a bit too far, too fast. It really comes down to what each individual is happy with.

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Guest Satchmo

I finally put my new system together (see below)and can now max everything out.I'm using the PMDG 747 with Active Sky V6.5,Flight Environment and Ultimate Traffic at 100%.It's a revelation just how good FS9 is with this sort of kit.Using TrackIR3 with the Vector expansion in the 747's virtual cockpit is astonishing..and I'm getting typ 25-30 fps on take off moving up to 40-50fps in flight, this is with 4xAA and 6xAF. I'm going to be playing with FS9 for a looong time to come :)On my old system (an XP1800+ with Ti4200 geforce4 card and 1G of generic RAM) the best I could get with the PMDG was 15fps with all setting minimized.Flying in FSX is just is like the bad old days...unless its VFR in the new Horizon VFR scenery...then I'm getting type 25-30fps and it sure looks good.CheersSatchmoAMD Opteron 146 CACJE @2.95G cpu/11 38C Max (Prime95 stable > 24H) @1.47vDFI LanpartyUT nF4 Ultra-DZalman CNPS9500 LED CoolerSapphire X800 GTO2 (16 pipe factory flashed) Ltd edition 540/590G.Skill F1-4000USU2-2GBHZ 3-4-4-8 1T @2.5v OCZ 700w Gamexstream SLIWestern Digital Caviar SE16 320GB 3200KS SATAII 7200rpm 16MB CacheAntec Nine Hundred Case

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Guest Phantoms

I built my current system a couple years ago and run FS with sliders maxed. I have a ton of AI traffic and addons.My important system specs are:Gigabyte 8KNXP 875P chipset motherboard.Intel Pentium Northwood 478 socket 3.2Ghz cpu.ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 mb video card.CORSAIR XMS 1GB (2 x 512MB)TWINX1024 3200C2PT DDR400 memory.Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 120GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive.All of this was built 3 years ago except for the processor which was a 2.8Ghz at that time, but I replaced it with a 3.2 when I was building a PC for my son (he got the 2.8) in March of 2004. Everything was near top-of-the-line when I built my system and is the reason it's still a powerhouse today.

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Hi Mike,I am running FS9 on a 3y/o system (with a CPU upgrade in the middle), and a similar graphics card as yers. The TextureMaxLoad tweak seems to have fixed the iffy performance I had before with the PDMG 737-800 NG--I am now making super smooth flights with only the heaviest of clouds threatening FPS, and even this is hardly an issue. Current settings in FS9 are: all sliders hard right except for cloud visibility range (i have it set to 50miles instead of max of 80). Visibility at 60. 1600x1200, with the highest possible settings in the nV driver for my 6800GT/OC. One area that helped me is that I am using 128bit clouds, though I'm tempted to use ActiveSky graphics to go back to 256 bit since discovering the TextureMaxLoad tweak. In any case, it looks fantastic, and now I am running PMDG big birds (and their 747) and with full everything, including VC views. On occasion she will come down to the high teens, but for short periods only with these heavy birds. Prior to TextureMaxLoad the heavies were a bit jerky. No more!I am holding off on FSX until there is enough horsepower to run it properly, case dismissed!I am using 2GB of ram, and virtually no swap file. I also discovered PerfectDisk degragmenter, and not sure but perhaps it has sweetenend things up. Since deciding to hold off for sure on FSX until the hardware or patches improve things I figured I was into FS9 for at least another full year, so put more effort into fine tuning. It's wonderful now: ActiveSky, Ground Env Pro, FlightDeck, FSG mesh, water fixes, ActiveCamera, etc.Noel

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I went out and upgraded just for FSX: AMD 3600, 7300s in SLI, 4GB RAMThe joke was on me. I can run FSX well, but graphically, it is sub-par referenced against FS9 with GE, FE, and UT.Bright side is, sliders are all right, frames are great (locked at 25, and I rarely see a dip), and visually is more than I could've hoped for.For me, its like FS9 became the 'new thing'. Granted, there's been some funds going to add-ons, but I'm extrememly happy about the results, and don't even think about firing up FSX.Plus side, I'm reading alot of posts about the 'holdouts' sticking with FS9, which makes me feel less behind the 8-ball. :)

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Guest captandy

I run locked at 30 and I never go below 25 using ASV6.5 with 9 layers of clouds using FE 256 Texture set,GE,USA ROADS,Ultimate Traffice.Own all payware USA airports u can name from Cloud9,SimFlyers,FlyTampa,DreamScenery,FlightScenery.Have PMDG all,LDS767,Aeroworx KA,DA Cheyenne,F1 ATR,DF 727 and more.Oced the below home built system to 3.01Ghz and she flys without a stutter.I have shelved FSX and I am not going to load her until all kinks are out if ever a day like that comes.Andy

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I'm wid' you, BooBoo! I upgraded in anticipation of fps issues with my "old" 3.2gigIntel/1gig ram/ATI X1600XT Pro at the end of September. I tweaked FSX for a month - got my reliable 30fps - and then went back to FS9 because I love and need my addons. WOW! - is about all I can say! 30 - 50 fps with no stutters, no blurries. Portland and the Dornier is SO great! Grimshaw's Boston with the Safir is so FANTASTIC! FT Seattle and the DF 727 is unbelievable! . . and on and on. . I'm now looking at FSX as another piece os software I downloaded, but don't use anymore. (sigh).

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Guest CyberSimmer

One more Gig of ram should help a great deal if you are looking for a qwik and fairly cheap solution! My system is very simular to yours and I can maintain 20fps with all my addons, and all sliders maxed! On occasion I may have to tone down the autogen a tad depending on what I'm flying.Addons:Active Sky 6Ground Environment ProUltimate Terrain U.S.A.Flight EnvironmentVarious other payware HeaviesOf course gotta have something for G.A. like the Glassair IIIAsus P800SE moboPentium 4 HT 3.0ghz - 3.4 ocNvidia GeForce 6800GT Oc'ed 5%2gig Corsair 400mhz Dual Channel Ram2x Maxtor 80G 7200 rpm hardrivesCreative Soundblaster Live 2419" Samsung SyncMaster LCD

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Guest LAzerxxx

Hey Mike, As you can see by my specs (below with sig.) I have an AGP system and I can run FS9 with all my sliders maxed out, frames locked at 24 (24FPS being the film studio standard FPS for motion pictures) and it stays locked on that 95% of the time. The other 5% is when I am flying into or out of KATL, only because of it being MegaCity USA 2005. My other add-ons include:Traffic 2005 (slider at 66%, any higher and I would be sitting in line for an hour waiting to get airborne out of KATL)PMDG 747-400 QOTSJust Flight C-130PSS Concorde ProfessionalCarenado Cessna 206B Captain Sim Legendary 727Captain Sim C-130 (Hardly ever use it though, don't like the fact that I can't use the Just Flight liveries with it)Airliner PilotI have FSX Deluxe, but I'm not happy with it. Like everyone else, I'm finding I will have to wait on Vista and DX10 to come out before I even start to build my next system, which I hope to be able to get twin 8800GTX's in that bad boy, but that alone is gonna run around $1300 just for the GPU's.:-eek .Anyways specs are below.

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Guest guyon

I have a P4 3.4GHz, with Nvidia 7800GS video card, and upgraded to 2GB RAM to try to get FSX to run acceptably. And following about 3 weeks of frustration and tweaks, I have managed it... BUT same as you, against FS9 with AS 6.5, GE Pro, and my add-on aircraftFeelThere ERJ145Rick Piper Freeware HS748 (as good as payware products!)FFS SAAB 340I get excellent visuals (better than FSX in a lot of places actually) at the high FPS I need to experience a realistic flight experience, and I just found I drifted back to FS9 kinda naturally, and have stayed there for a week.I haven't uninstalled FSX yet, but I think I may do this soon - I'm pretty fed up with it, can't figure out how I'd upgrade to a PC that would run it well enough to even think about purchasing 3rd party add-ons for it..But I'm not going to moan too much - FS9 is great, and FSX has helped me to rediscover it - I managed to find a couple of great FS9 tweaks that I wouldn't have been aware of if FSX hadn't come out and got me searching around for tips and tricks....IMO I think a lot of people will stick with FS9 for a long while yet.

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Guest LAzerxxx

Agreed Guyon, I know I won't be re-installing FSX until my new comp gets built and that's a good way down the road. But for now I am very happy with my FS9.I hope to be able to build one with the new 8 series cards from Nvidia, 2 of them, the eVGA 6600 660i mobo and about 8 gigs of RAM. Of course by then I'll prolly be able to put 4 graphix cards in a system, with the way they're progressing. Anyway, like I said, A LONG TIME down the road.

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Guest LAzerxxx

I hear ya Ewing. I've only flown out of KATL one time, and that was as a pax. I live in the flight path and know they are coming out or going in about every 30-45 seconds or less, sometimes. It was very hectic this past weekend. Non stop.But as for turning it up anymore, I would go to sleep waiting my turn....lmao.

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